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TREGOLLS LODGE BOOK CLUB AUTHORS Q&A Featuring Lilac Mills
- Lilac Mills
- Nov 17
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Tregolls Lodge Book Club: Exclusive Q&A with Author Lilac Mills
Howard Embery set up the Tregolls Lodge Book Club in Truro back in 2017. Unlike conventional book clubs where members read the same book and discuss it, the members of Tregolls Lodge Book Club meet weekly to chat about whichever books they happen to be reading at the time, and these meetings are even attended by members in the US who join virtually.
The club also produces its own regular e-magazine featuring author interviews, articles, book recommendations, new releases, reviews and more.
I was delighted to be featured in the November 2025 edition and this is what they asked me...
Does writing energise or exhaust you?
It does both, weirdly. The only way I can describe it is like after exercising, when I’m tired but wired at the same time. I might have exhausted the writing well temporarily, but I’m invigorated by having written. Bet you wish you hadn’t asked now!
What other authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’m a member of the RNA, an immensely supportive group of romance authors, and within that, I’m chair of the Welsh contingent, known as the Cariad Chapter. We meet monthly in person and also online, to share our highs and lows, advice, and best practice. As an author, I think it’s vital to have friends who are also authors, and can understand and appreciate the unique situation we are in.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
I write cosy romance under three different names. The reason is that I write more books than my publisher, Canelo, can handle. I produce two books a year for them, but I write more, which means I have excess stories floating around. So I also publish full length romances under the name Liz Davies, and novellas under the name Etti Summers.
Do you read your book reviews and how do you deal with bad or good ones?
I do read some, but only the “good” ones – the four and five-star. And I only read early reviews in order to find quotes for social media or to put on my website. It’s far too upsetting to read some of the reviews that are left. However, if the overall rating of a recently published book was unexpectedly low, I’d read them then to see what the problem was. I don’t think my publisher would release anything that they thought was sub-standard, though!
Describe a typical day for you?
I typically wake really early, often at four or five a.m., so I’ll do a Wordle puzzle, check social media, then write for an hour before going for a swim or a cycle. Then it’s breakfast, dog walk, more writing, followed by lunch, and yet more writing. When I say "writing", it could also be editing or admin. I seem to have an awful lot of admin. A late afternoon dog walk precedes an evening meal, then I settle down for the evening to read or watch TV. Sometimes I’ll write a bit more, depending on whether I’ve got a deadline looming and how panicky I feel.
What’s in my handbag?
Aside from my purse and a tote bag (in case I make a few purchases) I found: a pen, hand gel, Paracetamol, plasters, four receipts, poobags, a pack of tissues, a tape measure, a charger for my phone, a handmade soap (I wondered where that had gone!) and a tiny pot of honey for my coffee. Oh dear, I really must give it a good clear-out.
Happiness is?
The little things: a hike in the mountains, a cuddle with my dog, a good meal, the first cup of tea in the morning, a good book. But most of all, it’s being with my family.
What three words would you use to describe your latest novel?
Uplifting, heartwarming, romantic.
How important is the setting in the book?
Since most of my books are set in cosy villages or holiday locations, to me, setting is as important as my characters or the plot. My hope is that my books will allow readers to escape to somewhere else for a while, somewhere they might like to live, or to go on vacation, so I do my best to make readers fall in love with the place as well as the story.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Generally about two months for the first draft. After that, it depends on how many changes my editor recommends. I’ve just finished the developmental edits for my next book, Seaside Dreams on the Scottish Isle, due out on 22nd January 2026. They took me all of twenty minutes - just two minor changes. However, the developmental edits for an earlier book took me three weeks! But on average, the total time sat at my desk, so to speak, is three months from writing the first word to getting the book to a publishable stage.
Where do you write?
Anywhere! I have a handwriting tablet which is around the size of a notepad, and I use that to write my first draft. It means I can write in bed, curled up in my armchair, at the bottom of my garden in the summerhouse, or on a platform waiting for a train. I also have a desk and a computer, so I work there, too.
Did you or do you now borrow books from your local library?
I’ve always borrowed books from libraries (I do buy books as well), and one of my earliest memories is my mum taking me to our local library to choose a book. It was always Noddy. She used to beg me to pick something else, but no…
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